CLASS 10 NOTES

HISTORY
the
nationalism in
India
PRASHANT KIRAD
 PRASHANT KIRAD

Nationalism in India

1.The First World War, Khilafat and Non-Cooperation

Emergence of a new economic and political landscape due to the war.
Surge in defense spending, funded through war loans and increased taxes
(elevated customs duties and the introduction of income tax).
Escalation of prices and hardships for the general populace.
Compulsory recruitment of individuals for the war effort.
Severe shortage of food leading to widespread famine and suffering.
Concurrent influenza epidemic causing millions of casualties.
Growing realization among Indians that their involvement in the war was
unwarranted.
This realization fostered unity among Indians against British rule

E.M.
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exa m mei aye ga
1.1 The Idea of Satyagraha
January 1915: Mahatma Gandhi returns to India from South Africa,
initiating the Satyagraha movement.
Satyagraha focuses on the power of truth and the imperative to seek
it.
Gandhi advocates non-violence as a means to unite all Indians and
achieve victory.
1917: Gandhi travels to Champaran, Bihar, inspiring peasants to resist
the oppressive plantation system.
Same year: Organizes satyagraha in Kheda, Gujarat, supporting
peasants in their struggle.
1918: Gandhi leads a satyagraha movement among cotton mill workers in

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Ahmedabad.

& 1 Indian workers in South

Africa march through Volksrust, 6

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November 1913.
Mahatma Gandhi was leading the

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workers from Newcastle to
Transvaal. When the marchers were

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stopped and Gandhiji arrested,
thousands of more workers joined

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the satyagraha against racist laws

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that denied rights to non-whites.

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 PRASHANT KIRAD

1.2 The Rowlatt Act

Gandhiji, in 1919, decided to launch a nationwide satyagraha against the
proposed Rowlatt Act of 1919.
E. M. A
Provisions of the Rowlatt Act were:
Granting the government authority to suppress political activities or
demonstrations.
Authorization for the detention of political prisoners without trial for a
period of two years.
Empowering the British government to apprehend individuals and conduct
searches without requiring a warrant.

The Rowlatt Act was opposed by Indians in the following ways:

Commencement of non-violent civil disobedience against the unjust law.
Organization of rallies in different cities to protest the legislation.
Workers initiating strikes in railway workshops as part of the resistance.
Closure of shops in protest against the unjust law.

E.M.A
Jallianwalla Bagh incident:
On 13 April, the Jallianwalla Bagh incident took place.
On that day a crowd of villagers who had come to Amritsar to attend a fair
gathered in the enclosed ground of Jallianwalla Bagh.
Being from outside the city, they were unaware of the martial law that had
been imposed.
Dyer entered the area, blocked the exit points, and opened fire on the
crowd, killing hundreds.
His object, as he declared later, was to ‘produce a moral effect’, to create
in the minds of satyagrahis a feeling of terror and awe.

The reasons for starting the Khilafat Movement

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After Ottoman Turkey's defeat in WWI, rumors circulated about an

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impending severe peace treaty for the Ottoman emperor (Khalifa).
Global Muslim support rallied behind the temporal authority of the Khalifa
in response.

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In India, the Khilafat Committee emerged, led by Muhammad Ali and
Shaukat Ali.

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During the September 1920 Calcutta Congress session, Muhammad Ali
persuaded fellow leaders to initiate a non-cooperation movement in

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solidarity with Khilafat and Swaraj.

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1.3 Why Non-cooperation?

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Boycott – The refusal to deal and associate with people, or participate in activities, or buy and use things; usually a form of protest

2 Differing Strands within the Movement

The Non-Cooperation-Khilafat Movement began in January 1921. Various social
groups participated in this movement, each with its own specific aspiration. All
of them responded to the call of Swaraj, but the term meant different things
to different people

E. M. A
2.1 The Movement in the Towns
In the towns, the middle class started the movement, and thousands of
teachers, students, and headmasters left most of the government-controlled
schools and colleges, and lawyers gave up practicing. On the economic front, the
effects of the non-cooperation were many.

It is mentioned in the Nationalism in India class 10 notes that the production

from Indian textile mills expanded after the boycotting of foreign goods
started. The movement came to be slowed down because Khadi clothes were
expensive, less Indian institutions for students as well as teachers to choose
from; so they went back to normal forms of earnings.

Picket – A form of demonstration or protest by which people block the entrance to a shop, factory or office

2.2 Rebellion in the Countryside

Awadh Peasants:
Baba Ramchandra, a sanyasi, led the peasants of Awadh in a movement against

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oppressive talukdars and landlords.

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The landlords and talukdars imposed exorbitant rents and other cesses on the
peasants, who were forced to engage in unpaid beggar work and toil on
landlords' farms without compensation.

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Peasants, as tenants, lacked security of tenure and were frequently evicted
from their homes.

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The peasant movement aimed for a reduction in revenue, the abolition of
beggar work, and a social boycott against oppressive landlords.

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Panchayats organized nai-dhobi bandhs in many places, depriving landlords of

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essential services such as barbers and watermen.

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The Oudh Kisan Sabha, led by Jawaharlal Nehru, Baba Ramchandra, and
others, was established to advocate for peasant rights.
In 1921, there were instances of attacking talukdars' and merchants' houses,
looting bazaars, and taking over grain hoards as part of the protest.
 PRASHANT KIRAD

Tribal Peasants:
Large forest areas were closed by the colonial government, barring people
from grazing their cattle, collecting fuelwood, and gathering fruits, causing
resentment among the hill people.
The closure of these forests not only impacted their livelihoods but also led
to the perception that their traditional rights were being denied.
The government's imposition of unpaid beggar work for road construction
further fueled the discontent of the hill people.
Faced with the denial of traditional rights and forced beggar work, the hill
people initiated a revolt against the colonial authorities.
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E.M.
Alluri Sitaram Raju:
Alluri Sitaram Raju, a tribal leader in the Gudem hills of Andhra Pradesh,
initiated a militant guerrilla movement.
The tribal community opposed colonial policies, which adversely affected their
livelihoods and denied them traditional rights.
Inspired by Gandhiji’s Non-Cooperation movement, Alluri Sitaram Raju
encouraged people to wear khadi and abandon drinking.
He claimed to possess special powers, including making astrological
predictions, healing people, and surviving bullet shots.
Despite advocating for non-violent practices like khadi-wearing and abstinence
from alcohol, he maintained that India could only achieve liberation through
the use of force, rejecting the path of non-violence.

2.3 SÏaŸaj i ²he Psa²a²i‹©

For Plantation workers in Assam, freedom meant right to move in and out of the
plantation so they headed home but caught by the police and were brutally beaten up.
In February 1922, Gandhiji made the decision to withdraw the Non-Cooperation
Movement following the Chauri Chaura incident, which occurred in Gorakhpur
district of UP on 4th February 1922.
The incident unfolded when a peaceful demonstration in a bazaar escalated into

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a violent clash with the police, resulting in the deaths of three civilians and

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approximately 22 or 23 policemen.

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Gandhiji believed that Satyagrahis required proper training before they could
effectively engage in mass struggles.

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3 T‹ÏaŸd© CiÊis Di©‹bediece

Gandhiji decided to withdraw the Non-
Cooperation Movement in February
1922 because:
Violence was escalating in various
locations within the movement.
Gandhiji believed that Satyagrahis
must undergo adequate training before
being prepared for large-scale
struggles.

In 1928, Simon Commission arrived in India and was greeted with “Go back,
Simon”. In 1929, under Jawaharlal Nehru’s Presidency, Lahore Congress came to
formalize the demand for “Purna Swaraj” or for the full independence of India,
and in 26 January 1930 was declared to be celebrated as Independence Day.

3.1 The Sas² MaŸch ad ²he CiÊis Di©‹bediece M‹Êe|e²

On January 31, 1930, Mahatma Gandhi dispatched a letter to Viceroy Irwin
outlining eleven demands.
Among these demands, the most impactful was the call for the abolition of
the salt tax, a burden borne by both the wealthy and the impoverished.
The letter conveyed that these demands needed fulfillment by March 11, or
else the Congress would initiate the civil disobedience campaign.
The famous salt march was started by Mahatma Gandhi accompanied by 76 of
his trusted followers from Sabarmati to Dandi. On the 6th of April, they
reached Dandi, and violated the law, by manufacturing soil and marking the
beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement. In different parts of India, the
salt law was broken, and foreign clothes were boycotted, peasants refused to
pay revenue, forest laws were violated.

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Following disturbing incidents, Mahatma Gandhi decided to halt the movement

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and entered into an agreement with Irwin on March 5, 1931. This pact, known as
the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, saw Gandhiji agreeing to participate in the Round Table

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Conference in London. However, as mentioned in the Class 10 notes on
Nationalism in India, the conference proved unsuccessful. Subsequently,
Mahatma Gandhi relaunched the Civil Disobedience Movement, which continued

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for a year but gradually lost momentum by 1934.

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P H The Dandi march.

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During the salt march Mahatma
Gandhi was accompanied by
78 volunteers. On the way
they were joined by thousands.
 PRASHANT KIRAD

3.2 How Participants saw the Movement

Some active groups in the movement included the Patidars of Gujarat and the
Jats of Uttar Pradesh who became ardent supporters of the Civil Disobedience
Movement and were disappointed when the movement was called off in the year
1931. Poorer sections of the society like peasants, also participated in the radical
movements, mostly led by Socialists and Communists.
In 1927, the business interests of the society were consolidated into the
Federation of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries, as well as the
Industrial and Commercial Congress. As highlighted in the Class 10 History notes
on Nationalism in India, these organizations actively opposed colonial economic
control and endorsed the Civil Disobedience Movement during its initial launch.
Additionally, in both 1930 and 1932, railway workers, along with dock workers,
engaged in strikes.

Women join nationalist processions.

During the national movement, many women,
for the first time in their lives, moved out of their
homes on to a public arena. Amongst the marchers you
can see many old women, and mothers with children in
their arms.

3.3 The Limits of Civil Disobedience

Dalits, often referred to as untouchables, did not find resonance with the idea of
Swaraj. Mahatma Gandhi, recognizing their importance, termed them Harijans or
the children of God, emphasizing their indispensable role in achieving Swaraj.
While he orchestrated satyagraha for the untouchables, they were inclined
toward a distinct political resolution for addressing the community's challenges.
Their specific demands included reserved seats in educational institutions and the
establishment of a separate electorate.

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In 1930, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, organizing Dalits into the Depressed Classes

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Association, clashed with Mahatma Gandhi at the second Round Table Conference,
advocating for separate Dalit electorates. The September 1932 Poona Pact

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granted the Depressed Classes (later Scheduled Castes) reserved seats in
legislative councils. Following the decline of the Non-Cooperation-Khilafat
movement, Muslim alienation from Congress intensified, leading to a deterioration

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in Hindu-Muslim relations.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah expressed readiness to abandon the request for separate

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electorates, provided that Muslims could secure reserved seats in the Central

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Assembly and representation proportional to their population in Muslim-majority

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provinces. However, the prospect of reaching a resolution during the All Parties
Conference in 1928 faded away when M.R. Jayakar from the Hindu Mahasabha
vehemently opposed attempts at finding a compromise.
 PRASHANT KIRAD

4 The Sense of Collective Belonging

As individuals begin to embrace the idea of belonging to a unified nation, the
sentiment of nationalism emerges, characterized by a sense of collective
belonging. This cohesion is fostered through various means such as history,
fiction, folklore, songs, popular prints, and symbols that integrate into the
fabric of Nationalism in India.
In the twentieth century, India became associated with the representation of
Bharat Mata, envisioned by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, the author of
"Vande Mataram," a hymn dedicated to the motherland. Abanindranath Tagore
crafted the renowned image of Bharat Mata as an ascetic figure characterized
by serenity, composure, and spirituality. Nationalists in the 19th century
commenced the recording of folk tales sung by bards who, traversing various
villages, recounted folklore and legends through their folk songs.
Swadeshi movement in Bengal, a tricolor flag was designed which had eight
lotuses that represented eight provinces under British, a crescent moon which
represented the Hindus and also Muslims. Gandhiji in the year 1921, designed
the Swaraj flag, a tricolor and a spinning wheel in the center, which
represented Gandhiji’s idea of what is known as self-help.

– Bal Gangadhar Tilak,

an early-twentieth-century print.
Notice how Tilak is surrounded by symbols of
unity. The sacred institutions of different faiths
(temple, church, masjid) frame the central figure.

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9 & Bharat Mata, Abanindranath Tagore,
1905.
Notice that the mother figure here is shown as

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dispensing learning, food and clothing. The mala

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in one hand emphasises her ascetic quality.
Abanindranath Tagore, like Ravi Varma before

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could be seen as truly Indian.

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 PRASHANT KIRAD

Jawaharlal Nehru, a popular print. Nehru is here

shown holding the image of Bharat Mata and the
map of India close to his heart. In a lot of popular
prints, nationalist leaders are shown offering their
heads to Bharat Mata. The idea of sacrifice for the
mother was powerful within popular imagination.

Bharat Mata. This figure of Bharat Mata

is a contrast to the one painted by
Abanindranath Tagore. Here she is
shown with a trishul, standing beside a
lion and an elephant – both symbols of
power and authority

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 PRASHANT KIRAD

Top 7 questions

Q. How did the First World War create a new economic situation in
India? Explain.
The following were the effects of the First World War on the economic and
political situation of India:
(i) More defence budget forcing countries to take war loans.
(ii) Shortages leading to prices doubling between 1913-18.
(iii) The Custom duty and taxes were raised leading to price rise.
(iv) Forced recruitment in to the army led to discontent among the
people.
(v) Shortage of food items because of crop failures
(vi) Spread of epidemic leading to death of many people

Q. “Tribal peasants interpreted the message of Mahatma Gandhi and

the idea of swaraj in another way and participated in the Non-
Cooperation Movement differently.” Justify the statement.
(i) Spread of militant guerrilla movement in the Gudem Hills of Andhra Pradesh.
(ii) They were against colonial policies.
(iii) Their livelihood was affected and their traditional rights were denied.
(iv) Their leader Alluri Sitaram Raju was inspired by the Non-Cooperation
Movement and persuaded people to wear khadi and give up drinking.
(v) He wanted liberation by the use of force.
(vi) The rebels attacked police stations and carried on guerrilla warfare for
achieving swaraj.
(vii) Any other relevant point

Q. Read the given text and answer the following questions:

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‘It is said of “passive resistance” that it is the weapon of the weak, but the

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power which is the subject of this article can be used only by the strong. This

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power is not passive resistance; indeed, it calls for intense activity. The
movement in South Africa was not passive but active … ‘Satyagraha is not

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physical force. A satyagrahi does not inflict pain on the adversary; he does not
seek his destruction … In the use of satyagraha, there is no ill-will whatever.
‘Satyagraha is pure soul-force. Truth is the very substance of the soul. That is

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why this force is called satyagraha. The soul is informed with knowledge. In it
burns the flame of love. … Nonviolence is the supreme dharma … ‘It is certain

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that India cannot rival Britain or Europe in force of arms. The British worship

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the war-God and they can all of them become, as they are becoming, bearers of
arms. The hundreds of millions in India can never carry arms. They have made
the religion of non-violence their own …’
 PRASHANT KIRAD

Q. Describe the role of Poor Peasantry in the ‘Civil Disobedience

Movement.’
The Peasants joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-34) because the poor
peasantry was not just interested in the lowering of the revenue but also
remission of rent as many had rented land and had been unable to pay the rent
during the years of depression and decreasing cash incomes.

When the movement was called off in 1931, without the revenue rates being
revised, the Farmers were highly disappointed. In some parts of the country, they
launched ‘no rent’ campaign which was not supported by the congress because this
might upset the rich peasant and the landlords.

Many of them refused to participate when the movement was re-launched in 1932.
These poor peasants joined a variety of radical movements, often led by
Socialists and Communists.

Q. Describe the role of Alluri Sitarama Raju in Andhra Pradesh during

1920s.
Role of Alluri Sitarama Raju in the Gudem hills of Andhra Pradesh.
(i) Alluri Sitarama Raju claimed that he had a variety of special powers like
making astrological predictions, healing people and surviving bullet shots.
(ii) The Rebels proclaimed him as an Incarnation of God.
(iii) Raju was inspired by Gandhiji’s Non-cooperation Movement.
(iv) He persuaded people to wear khadi and give up drinking.
(v) But at the same time, he asserted that India could be liberated only by the
use of force, not non-violence.
(vi) He used Guerrilla warfare for achieving Swaraj.

Q. Why did Gandhiji start Non-Cooperation Movement? Explain.

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The reasons are given below:

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(i) Against Rowlatt Act – It was a repressive act.
(ii) Jallianwala Bagh incidence – It showed the cruel face of the British
government.

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(iii) Khilafat Andolan – The Khilafat Movement leaders gave their support to the
Non-Cooperation Movement.

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Q. Which one of the following statements is not related to the
Gandhi-Irwin Pact?

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(a) Gandhiji agreed not to launch any further mass agitations against the British.

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(b) Gandhiji agreed to participate in the Round Table Conference.
(c) Gandhiji decided to call off the Civil Disobedience Movement.
(d) The British agreed to release the political prisoners.
 PRASHANT KIRAD

Important Important DATESS

1915 : Gadhiji Ÿe²¸Ÿ© ²‹ Idia

1917 : Gadhiji Ïe² ²‹ Cha|œaŸa BihaŸ
1917 : Kheda Sa²ÖagŸaha i G¸jaŸa²
1918 : Ah|edabad |iss S²Ÿipe
1918 -1919 ad 1920-21 : TheŸe i© a ©eÊeŸe f‹‹d ©caŸci²Ö a© a Ÿe©¸s² ‹f
|aÖ Idia Ÿegi‹©’ cŸ‹œ© faisig.
1919 : R‹Ïsa²² Ac²
13²h AœŸis 1919 : JassiaÏasaBagh |a©©acŸe
1919 : Khisafa² c‹||i²²ee Ïa© f‹Ÿ|ed i B‹|baÖ
1920 : I ©¸||eŸ ‹f 1920 Gadhiji ad ShaÏpa² Asi ²‹ ad eÕ²e©iÊesÖ
²hŸ‹¸gh‹¸² ²he Idia
1920(Nagœ¸Ÿ Se©©i‹): N‹ c‹‹œeŸa²i‹ œŸ‹gŸa||e Ïa© ad‹œ²ed bÖ ²he
Na²i‹as C‹gŸe©©
1909 : Gadhiji ϟ‹²e Hid SÏaŸaj
1920(J¸e) : JaÏahaŸsas NehŸ¸ bega g‹ig aŸ‹¸d ²he Êissage© i aÏadh
6²h Ja¸aŸÖ 1921 : The œ‹sice i ²he ¸i²ed œŸ‹Êice© fiŸed a² ²he œea©a²©
eaŸ Rae BaŸesi
Ja¸aŸÖ 1921 : The ‹ c‹‹œeŸa²i‹ Khisafa² |‹Êe|e² bega
1921 ce©¸© : Acc‹Ÿdig ²‹ ²he ce©¸©, fa|ie© ad ‹²heŸ di©a©²eŸ© ca¸©ed ²he

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dea²h© ‹f 12 ²‹ 13 |issi‹ œe‹œse.

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1921 : H‹¸©e© ‹f ²as¸pdaŸ ad |eŸcha²© ÏeŸe a²²acped
1921 : Gadhiji had de©iged ²he SÏaŸaj fsag

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FebŸ¸aŸÖ 1922 : Gadhi decided ²‹ Ïi²hdŸaÏ ²he ‹ c‹‹œeŸa²i‹ |‹Êe|e²
1924 : Ra| Raj¸ Ïa© caœ²¸Ÿed ad eÕec¸²ed

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1926-1930 : AgŸic¸s²¸Ÿas œŸice© bega ²‹ fass fŸ‹| 1926 ad c‹ssaœ©ed af²eŸ
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1930

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1927 : The e©²absi©h|e² ‹f ²he Idia Cha|beŸ ‹f C‹||eŸce ad Id¸©²Ÿie©
1928 : Si|‹ C‹||i©©i‹ aŸŸiÊed i Idia
 PRASHANT KIRAD

1928 : Ass œaŸ²Ö c‹feŸece

Oc²‹beŸ 1929 : L‹Ÿd IŸÏi ‹ffeŸed D‹|ii‹ ©²a²¸©
Dece|beŸ 1929 : P¸ŸaSÏaŸaj Ïa© de|aded
26 Ja¸aŸÖ 1930 : Ideœedece daÖ Ïa© cesebŸa²ed f‹Ÿ ²he fiŸ©² ²i|e
6²h AœŸis 1930 : Sas² Sa²ÖagŸaha Ïa© ©²aŸ²ed
AœŸis 1930 : AgŸÖ cŸ‹Ïd© de|‹©²Ÿa²ed i ²he ©²Ÿee²© ‹f Pe©haÏaŸ
1930 : M¸ha||ad Ižbas ©²eœœed d‹Ï a© M¸©si| Leag¸e œŸe©ide².
5²h MaŸch 1931 : Gadhi IŸÏi œac²
Dece|beŸ 1931 : The œ‹si²icas seadeŸ© ‹f Idia fŸeed‹| ©²Ÿ¸ggse Ïa©
Ÿesea©ed fŸ‹| jais
Seœ²e|beŸ 1932 : P‹‹a œac²
1930 ad 1932 : TheŸe Ïa© a ©²Ÿipe bÖ ŸaisÏaÖ Ï‹ŸpeŸ© i 1930 ad
d‹cpϋŸpeŸ© i 1932.
1934 : BÖ 1934 ²he ciÊis di©‹bediece |‹Êe|e² s‹©² i²© |‹|e²¸|
14²h J¸sÖ 1942 : The Idia Na²i‹as C‹gŸe©© ed‹Ÿ©ed ²he hi©²‹Ÿic Q¸i² Idia
Re©‹s¸²i‹.

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